Student Stories
Noor Coenen found her happy place
That place is Washington D.C. Despite the constant political intensity of living in the nation’s capital, Noor has thrived – academically, athletically and personally. And to think…it almost didn’t happen!
Noor, a talented high-level field hockey player, started her search for a college to study and compete at in her senior year and had committed to an East Coast university. Admissions had additional requests right in the middle of Noor’s final exams.
Noor realized that if she shifted gears, she might not pass her final exams and if she didn’t pass her exams, the roller coaster ride she was on would grind to a halt. By prioritizing her exams, Noor was ultimately dropped by the university and was left wondering what step to take next.
Luckily, UStudy was able to set her firmly back on her feet and Academic Advisor Marina Meijer was able to connect Noor with many coaches still searching for an extra international player before the start of the season in August. Noor was quick to realize that “without UStudy I would not have been able to get my paperwork done within the timespan I had”.
Noor met with several coaches but experienced a real click with the head coach at American University. Noor arrived on campus two days before pre-season and so began the whirlwind of experiences – finding her footing with the team and the coach, navigating the way to classes, homesickness, and study hall.
Field hockey being a fall sport left little time to acclimatize so the first few months were intense. But Noor never once thought of giving up, she approached each obstacle with a down-to-earth mix of honesty and openness which helped her achieve great success.
“Having a good click with your head coach is important”
After speaking to Noor, you get a sense of how good a fit American University ended up being. Her old coach is still a great friend and source of support, and she remains close to the team – not only through the many friendships she made throughout the years, but by aligning herself with the team’s ongoing success.
She has always been passionate about field hockey and being “an ally for these girls, when needed” is enormously rewarding.
It’s important to note that Noor was fully aligned with the head coach’s philosophy from the start and this shows how important it is to have meaningful conversations with your coaches in the introductory stage as well as throughout your time on the team.
At AU, the head coach was focused on the sport but also on what comes after. Noor reflected on how as a team and as individuals they were exposed to a variety of viewpoints, allowing them all to gain a different perspective.
This mindset was inspiring and coupled with the open demeanor of the coach, even when there were disagreements or disappointments, the team could discuss them openly and safely and together they could work to find their happiness.
“Every role matters in a team”
While the goal of any team is to win, one of the energy-giving aspects for Noor was achieving that win AS A TEAM.
Everyone on the team contributes in their own way to every win, from seniors to freshmen, from captains to injured players, and from coaches to the trainer – everyone has their part, working together to accomplish a larger goal and it is this unity that allows players to grow.
“Team first says it all”
Many teams set themselves standards and at AU, two of their standards were TEAM FIRST and Comfortable Being Uncomfortable.
Team First says it all – everything you do is for the team. Getting your homework done, getting enough sleep – do it! It will benefit the team. And Comfortable Being Uncomfortable for these girls meant that no matter where on the field you’re asked to play, find a way to make it comfortable for yourself.
Learning all of this in a team setting that’s familiar, supportive and safe has proven to be so valuable to Noor in the real world. She now knows that she can take on anything – she is aware of her strengths, works well in a team, can resolve conflict proactively and knows what it means to both succeed and fail.
While the sport aspect of Noor’s college experience could not have been better, I did want to know if there was anything she did struggle with in the beginning.
Her English was at a high level when she arrived and she found the academic level good and she ended up majoring in Psychology with a minor in Leadership & Management and ultimately gaining a master’s degree in Sustainability Management.
AU is a politically charged university so she wasn’t completely prepared for the “political push” or for those students who were not as open to other viewpoints.
But she loved her education and is appreciative of the way the US goes about providing opportunities for young people, allowing them the space to grow into it and take it to new heights.
A typical week during field hockey season consisted of getting up at 6 am, morning practice from 7-10 (switching between a full practice or combined with weight room), lunch, afternoon classes and games twice a week.
Study hall was offered, providing structure to the academic side, still leaving enough time to socialize, mainly with teammates, and travel was fun. Student-athletes have special study advisors that help them choose classes that don’t clash with practice or games and if they do, they can also help negotiate alternative exam opportunities and she also made good use of professor’s office hours if she could not make it to a lecture.
At seasons end, everyone takes a well-deserved week of rest – to clear their heads and let their bodies recalibrate. Off-season gave the players a bit more time to breathe but practice was still 5 days a week (with weekends off).
Noor lived her freshman year in the dorms with other student-athletes and from her sophomore year she lived off campus with teammates near the beautiful Georgetown area, in Washington DC.
Noor has met amazing people and the friendships she has made are strong and for life – while they might be spread out all over the world now, they are important and valuable.
Know your why!
Noor believes that those people who are considering being a student-athlete in the US really need to want this experience for it to work and be worthwhile.
She recommends that everyone thinking about taking this step really consider deeply their reasons for going abroad.
Her meetings with Marina in the beginning of the trajectory certainly helped to solidify her wishes and goals for her time in the US, allowing Marina to ask the right questions.
She was glad she spent the full five years at AU because while a one season can shape you as a person, coaches are looking to build a team and build towards something bigger.
Noor is grateful that she could be part of that greater long-term vision at AU.
Noor realizes that without Marina’s help – her knowledge, her network and her close relationship with coaches – an opportunity like American University might not have come her way.
“At its core, it’s the ease of knowing someone can usher you through the process and guide you to a good outcome.”
Being on the other side in recent years Noor has seen how important it was for Marina to have a close relationship with the coaches and teams to put the right candidates forward.
Noor’s advice to prospective student-athletes? Truly ask yourself if you’re willing to put in the work.
There are no guarantees, no safety nets and its hard work. But if you’re willing to do the hard work, you will get so much out of it. In the preparatory stage, make sure you have open communication with the coaches and speak to players already on the team about their experiences.
Find your happy place and enjoy!
